The early chapters of Genesis are foundational to setting out both the nature of the world in which we live and the beginning of God’s rescue plan. This plan in many ways begins with Noah and the important concept of the covenant which occurs for the first time in Genesis 6.18. Noah’s Ark is in some ways so familiar to us that we can miss much of the valuable theology contained within the four chapters that deal with the Flood and its aftermath. Much of this material, however, is crucial for understanding the subsequent development of the covenant idea through the Old Testament ahead of it reaching its climax in the coming of Jesus Christ. The recent film starring Russell Crowe shows how popular the story of Noah remains but much of the nature of this film also reveals how important it is to think clearly about the true message of such stories if we are go on and understand the full nature of the good news of Jesus Christ.
